SAILING:After five races in the penultimate regatta in the Breitling MedCup circuit, Peter de Ridder's Mean Machine has opened a healthy overall lead for the Portugal Trophy in Portimao on the Algarve coast, writes David Branigan.

The battle for the five-regatta series still remains deadlocked between Spanish entry Caixa Gallicia and Sweden's Artemis. Mean Machine lies sixth overall.

In fifth place, and hoping for a top-three result by the end of the series in Eyeres next month, is Eamon Conneely's Patches.